Toggle wrench



H. A. BERGER TOGGLE WRENCH Nov. 30, 1954 Filed April 17, 1953 INVENTOR. flA/eup A. Beg

ATTORNEYJ United States Patent Ofifice 2,695,540 Fatented Nov. 30, 1954 TOGGLE WRENCH Harold A. Berger, Plano, 1]]. Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,482

1 Claim. (Cl. 81-84) My invention relates to wrenches and more particularly to the type which are generally known as toggle wrenches or vise grip wrenches.

Wrenches of this type generally comprise a stationary jaw and a relatively movable jaw which is capable of being adjusted towards said stationary jaw, and a toggle arrangement effective to multiply the gripping pressure of the jaws.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision in a wrench of the character set forth of improved means for adjusting the fulcrum position of the toggle link so as to vary the adjustment of the movable jaw relative to the stationary jaw.

Another object of my invention is the provision of improved means in a wrench construction of the character set forth providing a movable fulcrum for the toggle link, the said means being economical to manufacture and being highly efiicient in operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following descrip tion when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a wrench in accordance with my invention, with certain parts thereof being broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the handle portion of the wrench showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable fulcrum member.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a modified embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another modified embodiment of a movable fulcrum member.

Referring to the drawings, the wrench comprises a channel shaped member 10 which may be assumed to be formed from pressed sheet metal, but of course may be otherwise formed, the said member having a handle portion 11 and a stationary jaw 12 at its forward end. A movable jaw member 13 is pivotally secured to the member 10 as at 14. An articulated channel shaped operating lever 16 is pivotally secured at its forward end to the movable jaw 13 and a toggle link 17 is pivotally secured at one end to said operating lever as at 20 and to the handle, as will be hereinafter described. As will be seen clearly by reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4 the handle portion 11 has a lug 18 struck out inwardly thereof to provide a hook for receiving one end of a coiled tension spring 19 the other end of said tension spring engaging in an aperture 21 in the movable jaw and the spring serving to normally urge the movable jaw 13 away from the stationary jaw 12. The rearward end of the handle portion 11 terminates in a circular portion 22 to receive a threaded bushing 23 which is welded therein, the said bushing receiving an adjusting screw 24. Received within the handle portion 11 is a slide member 26 which may be assumed to be formed of sheet metal. The said slide member is substantially arcuate in cross section and substantially concentric with the handle portion. The said slide member is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 27 having a length substantially equal to the travel of the adjusting screw 24. The rearward portion of the slide member 26 is provided with a pair of integral ears 28 which are perforated to receive a pivot pin 29 which passes through an aperture in the toggle link 17 and pivotally connects the toggle link to the slide member 26. As will be apparent by reference to Fig. 1, the end of the toggle link 17 is preferably rounded and extends slightly beyond the end of the slide member 26 so that the end of the adjusting screw 24 may freely abut the said rounded end of the toggle link.

The slot 27 is of sufficient width to freely accommodate the struck out lug 18 in the handleportion so that the slide member 26 may move within the handle portion longitudinally within the limits of the slot 27. The loop end 30 of the spring 19 is hooked on to the struck out lug 13 after the slide member 26 has been assembled to the toggle link and placed in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 and since its diametral dimension is greater than the width of the slot 27 it will be apparent that the said loop serves as a means for retaining the slide member 26 against displacement from the handle portion while permitting longitudinal movement of the slide member relative to the handle portion. Because the spring 19 is formed of tempered steel and consequently is relatively hard, any wear thereof which might result from frictional engagement of the slide member with the spring due to adjustments of the adjusting screw is minimized. The slide member 26 thus retains the end of the toggle link within the handle portion 11 and in position to abut the adjusting screw during use of the wrench and during any adjustments of the toggle link 17 by the adjusting screw 24. Since the adjusting screw 24 directly abuts the end of the toggle link 17 no stress is applied to the slide member 26 and consequently, since its only function is to retain the end of the toggle link 17 within the end of the handle portion, the slide member may be made of relatively inexpensive thin guage sheet metal.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, the slide member 26a which in all other respects is identical with slide member 26, hereinabove described, is provided with an integral rear extension 31, which, as will be seen in Fig. 6, overhangs the end portion of the adjusting screw 24 and further provides additional securement for preventing displacement of the end of the toggle link from the handle portion. Since the spring 19 normally tends to urge the end of the toggle link 17 in the direction of the adjusting screw 24, it will be seen that the abutting relation between the end of the adjusting screw and the toggle link is maintained at all. times so that the extension 31 of the slide member provides in effect a shoulder for retention of the slide member within the handle portion of the wrench.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 7 the slide member 2612 comprises an arcuate portion 32 having registering perforations 33 to receive a pivot pin for pivotally securing the toggle link 17 thereto. Integral with said arcuate portion is a rearward extension 34 similar to extension 31 of slide member 26a. As' will be apparent the slide member 26!) corresponds to the rearward portion of slide member 26a which includes ears 28 and extension 31. The extension 34 of slide member 26b is adapted to overlie the end of adjusting screw 24 in the same manner illustrated in Fig. 6 for preventing displacement of the end of the toggle link from the handle portion 11.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a wrench of the type having an elongated channelshaped handle portion provided with a stationary jaw at the forward end thereof, a movable jaw mounted on said handle portion and arranged to co-operate with the stationary jaw to grip an article, a toggle for operating the movable jaw comprising an operating lever pivotally engaged at the forward end thereof to the movable jaw and a toggle link pivotally engaged at the ends to the handle portion and said operating lever intermediate the ends thereof, the operating lever extending longitudinally adjacent the handle portion in spaced relation thereto and arranged to be squeezed by a hand engaging the handle portion and lever to lock the toggle, a helical spring having a loop at least on one end thereof, the handle portion having a lug on the inner surface thereof, engaged by the loop of said spring, the opposite end of said spring engaging the movable jaw, the improvement which comprises means for adjustment of the pivotal connection of the toggle link longitudinally along the handle portion comprising a longitudinally movable screw at the rear end of said handle portion, a slide member formed of relatively thin metal and substantially arcuate in cross section to conform to the contour of the inner surface of said handle portion, said slide member being carried entirely within said handle portion, means pivotally connecting said slide member to said toggle link so that the end of said screw is in direct abutment with an end of said toggle link, said slide mem- 1 her having a longitudinal slot to accommodate said lug whereby said slide member may move longitudinally upon rotation of said screw, the width of said slot being less than the diameter of said loop so that said slide member is slidably retained within said handle portion by the end loop of said spring in engagement with said ug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,489,458 Petersen Apr. 8, 1924 2,312,947 Westman Mar. 2, 1943 2,514,130 Jones July 4, 1950 2,521,276 Lampe Sept. 5, 1950 2,533,817 Koskinen Dec. 12, 1950 2,590,750 Burns Mar. 25, 1952 2,592,803 Heim Apr. 15, 

